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Astra Militarum
The Imperial Guard is the largest fighting force of the Imperium of Man. It is comprised of countless billions of men and women - hundreds of thousands of different regiments, supported by a vast array of light and heavy vehicles. They are usually the first Imperial force to respond to a threat if a planet's Planetary Defense Force (PDF) fails to suppress it. They also hold major locations of interest to the Imperium and are often found in defensive roles. The Imperial Guard is often referred to as the "Sledgehammer of the Emperor"; the sheer amount of force that the Imperial Guard can bring to bear on the enemy is devastating, but is not as direct or as precise as their Space Marine allies, who are described as the "Sword of the Emperor." There is no universal uniform or company command heirarchy in the Imperial Guard, although it is compulsory for every regiment to have at least one Commissar to maintain the discipline and morale of the men while watching for any signs of corruption or taint in the ranks. However, it is worth noting that a number of worlds copy the uniform of the Cadian Regiments, which are viewed as being the most effective of the Imperial Guard's infantry units. The main tactic of the Imperial Guard is to overwhelm the enemy with their endless numbers, while at the same time hammer them into submission with devastating artillery and crush them with powerful main battle tanks. Overview The Guardsmen form the foundation at the end of the Imperial Guard command structure, however it is uncommon that Regiments will dispatch formations made entirely out of Guardsmen without attaching auxiliaries or support elements. In the chain of command, for example, an Imperial Officer, often a Colonel or a General, will find himself accompanied by Imperial sanctioned psykers dispatched from Scholastica Psykana facilities, or Officers of the Fleet, dispatched from the Imperial Navy to relay co-ordinates to harass enemy deployments and conduct interception attempts. The Imperial Guard is able to draw upon a not inconsiderable number of specialized troops and sub-human and Abhuman auxiliaries. These may include the Storm Trooper Regiments of more disciplined origins, likely from the Schola Progenium facilities on many Imperial worlds. The Guard can call upon Orgyns from feral worlds whose brutish strength may be used in order to make up for the Guardsmen's lack of close combat endurance, or Ratling snipers whose small size and nimbleness allows them to infiltrate behind enemy lines where they can wreak havoc with their natural talents behind the telescopic sights of their needle rifles. Though the Imperial Guard has enough men and firepower to throw up a withering wall of las bolts, most opponents that close the distance with the Guard's lines find themselves at a major advantage in close combat, which more often than not results in a bloodbath as the Guardsmen find themselves outmatched in melee and slaughtered. Different types of Imperial Guard Regiments utilize different methods of warfare. Though most of their engagements would count as battles of attrition, often Imperial Guard units will work alongside auxiliaries or specialized units in order to achieve different tactical outcomes some which may include, sabotage, infiltration, demolitions. The Imperial Guard is the stalwart primary fighting force of the Imperium of Man, capable of dispensing a myriad of specialized troops. The Imperial Guard's most prominent asset is its ability to draw upon endless ranks of Guardsmen, drawn from various human-settled worlds. Each Imperial world supplies an annual tithe of Guardsmen, often accompanied by quotas of las-gun production and armoured vehicles in order to sustain the never-ending war machine that is the Imperial Guard. The hierarchy of command and the formations of local Planetary Defence Forces (PDF) may differ from world to world. On some worlds, a PDF may be composed of hiver gangs or other irregular troops or it may be an offical, professional army making use of proper military organisation and equipment. In the Imperial Guard, there is only one primary tactical and strategic formation -- the Regiment. The Regiment provides a solid command structure that allows for both versatility and lethality when the application of force is needed in any Imperial warzone. Guardsmen form the bulk of many Imperial Regiments, however it is common for Regiments to exclusively include the support drawn from other Regiments in order to sustain operations. The nature of the Regiment alone is one that requires the support of many other Imperial assets. Infantry Regiments consist mainly of Infantry Squads and Conscript Militia. However, Armoured Regiments may include Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Support Tanks with little to no Infantry, or may only include Guardsmen in mechanized formations, known as Armoured Fist squads, where a single Infantry Squad is attached to a dedicated armoured transport, likely a Salamander or Chimera Armoured Personnel Carrier or its equivalent. Thus, most regiments' Armored Fist squads that are borrowed from other regiments as infantry regiments may have no Chimera APC's. Others may be drop troops trained to drop onto a battlefield using drop ships or Drop Pod-like vehicles or they may have Valkyries attached to them for drop troop insertion. The regiments are mixed once the Imperial Navy's transport vessels picks up all the regiments or brings them to their destination so that tank regiments cannot be outflanked by infantry while an infantry regiment will have an attached artillery battery to back it up. Imperial Guard Regiments are drawn from all types of planets in the Imperium, from Terra itself to pre-industrial feral and feudal worlds, and the contributions of troops from certain planets like Cadia over the ten thousand years of the Imperium's existence run into the millions. The Imperial Guard is constantly at war, freeing worlds from the influence of aliens or the Ruinous Powers, or defending them from the same enemies. The Imperial Guard relies upon the Imperial Navy for transport to and from war zones. The regiments of Guardsmen are as diverse as the worlds they come from. Where the Space Marines might fight a war through tactics and efficiency, the Guard can easily afford to crush its opposition amidst thousands of lasgun volleys and hundreds of ordnance blasts. Such is the numerical superiority of the Imperial Guard that even Orks can sometimes find themselves outnumbered by the so-called "Sledgehammer" of the Imperium. Imperial Guard equipment and weaponry spans a wide range of common Imperial hand-held weaponry, from the standard-issue lasgun to the high-powered Hellgun and Hot-Shot lasgun for Storm Troopers. Likewise, the Imperial Guard soldiers can also range in quality from Cadian Guardsmen who are trained to kill from childhood, to ordinary Imperial citizens dragged from their homes and stores, handed a las rifle and flak jacket and conscripted into the Guard. However, every Guardsmen will be given intensive training, if not on there homeworld then in transit to their first war zone. They are taught how to shoot and use special and heavy weapons effectively for weeks before they are sent into combat, and braced for the inevitable shock of being on a foreign and sometimes alien world. A Guardsman who spent his youth on a hive world will probably never have seen the open sky before, while a savage Guardsman from a feral world will have never seen a city or factory or a motorized vehicle before he joined the Guard. Forces of the Imperial Guard Commanders Regimental Command Squad In large-scale Imperial Crusades that usually invole large armies of the Imperial Guard, Guardsmen High Commanders are often found directing the Crusade effort from the rear, keeping with him representatives from the various Imperial Guard Regiments and the occasional Space Marine Chapter involved in the Crusade to keep in constant contact with the fighting components. However, when necessary, the High Commander may take to the battlefield with his aides and bodyguard, boosting his men's morale with his mere presence. High Commanders have a higher rank than other officers normally found at the front lines. A commander has the choice of which regiment to lead from the front, but they can be put into the major sections of all different types of Imperial Guard Regiments. Company Command Squad A Command Platoon Contains a Senior Officer and 4 Guardsmen. The Guardsmen are equipped with a variety of weapons from the company's armoury, one carries the company standard, another serves as a medic, and a third carries a portable vox unit; the squad may all be mounted in a Chimera. The officer is in continuous contact with his subordinates and coordinates attacks and provides a solid leadership anchor and can have advisers and bodyguards accompany him. Commissars and Lord Commissars Even in battle, a Guardsman may need to be reminded of his duty to the Emperor to overcome his fear, and Commissars are often seen as the Emperor's representatives on the battlefield. Stern-faced and grim individual officers trained by the Imperium's Schola Progenium, Commissars are able to either inspire great deeds or strike fear into the hearts of Guardsmen. Either way, these emotions encourage the troops to stand their ground against an often horrific enemy and battle it out to the end. Commissars are more than just a visible representative of the Emperor of Mankind. They also often take the fight to the enemy, battling against foe after foe to aid their units in battle. Their elevated status marks them apart from the standard hierarchy of an Imperial Guard Regiment's command, and they often operate as autonomous individuals, counseling and advising the commanding officer of a Guard unit. They have the authority to execute sanctioned psykers and Primaris Psykers if they are possessed by the dark forces of the Warp. If a commander or soldier is found wanting, or wavers in his duty to the Emperor, the Commissar has full legal authority to immediately execute him. It is this mix of extreme corporal punishment and courage that makes Commissars such effective boosters of Imperial Guard morale on the grim frontlines of the Imperium. Commissars are often drawn from the ranks of the also fiercely loyal Imperial Storm Troopers. They learn how to lead and fight in these squads at the Schola Progenium and then work their way up to the rank of Commissar. The few Commissars who survive for long and demonstrate extreme valour and leadership may achieve the rank of Lord Commissars. The gallantry of Lord Commissars is legendary and tales abound of stranded, demoralised Imperial Guard squads being driven to valourous deeds by the leadership of such heroes. Lord Commissars exemplify power and bravery, making them natural leaders with a reputation for turning the tide of battle, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Just being in the presence of a Lord Commissar drives Imperial Guardsmen to extreme measures of dicipline and in may cases they have been lead without fear into the heat of battle. Lord Commissars are few and far between among the Imperium's forces, but they inspire their soldiers to acts of valour in a way no average Commissar can. Ecclesiarchy Priests These fanatical members of the Ecclesiarchy and ministers of the Imperial Cult follow the Imperial Guard on campaigns and battles preaching the righteousness of the God-Emperor. They favour close combat over the use of ranged weapons, as they bring holy death to their enemies and they instill this ideal in the Guardsmen following them, making them equally as ferocious as a Commissar when it comes to motivating men, although they use religious inspiration rather than terror in the way most Commissars do. Techpriest Enginseer A tech-priest Enginseer is a heavily armoured warrior from the Adeptus Mechanicus who can repair tanks and other Imperial vehicles on the battlefield. They can be accompanied by up to five other cybernetic Servitor units, who can aid the tech-priest in ranged combat or repairing vehicles. A tech-priest has numerous cybernetic enhancements which aid them in the performance of their duties, such as when tanks and other vehicles need to be repaired under heavy fire or extreme time constraints. Many tech-priests have their lungs replaced with mechanical breathers or portions of their cerebral cortex replaced with cogitator (computer) circuitry to allow for easier interfaces with the archaic but advanced technology of the Imperium. Some of the more fanatically devoted tech-priests who worship the Cult Mechanicus have their blood replaced with a synthetic oxygen-carrying chemical substitute, to minimize the effects of wounds and injuries inflicted on the field of battle. Many tech-priests choose to have the serpentine cybernetic servo-arms called Mechadendrites installed, as an extra limb is always useful for both combat and repair duties. The tech-priest Enginseers are privy to the mystical secrets of the machine spirits that the Adeptus Mechanicus' Cult of the Machine God believes inhabits all Imperial vehicles and technology and they are held in high regard amongst the Imperial Guard's armoured companies, which are comprised primarily of tanks and other vehicles. However, in most Imperial Guard armies, the tech-priests are shunned by their fellow Guardsmen because of their bionic enhancements and cybernetic disfigurements. Elites Storm Troopers Storm Troopers are considered superior to other Imperial Guardsmen because of their additional training and indoctrination by the Schola Progenium, as well as their improved personal technology and equipment. They are often used in the vanguard of an assault or as infiltrating troops to carry out special objectives lesser Guardsmen would be unable to undertake. A Storm Trooper carries a Hot-Shot lasgun and Hot-Shot laspistol and wears carapace armour that gives better protection than than the standard flak armour. Ogryn Often drafted into Imperial Guard Regiments from the Ogryn Auxilia Legions, these Abhuman mutant offshoots of humanity are large, hulking, and angry. Ogryns tend to be very loyal to friends and have the same values, personal loyalties and determination as Guardsmen from barbaric feral societies so the two groups tend to get along famously well. Of course, given their tendency for brute force and phenomenal melee power, Ogryns usually have little intellectual power. They are given well-built Ripper Guns, which more often than not are used for bashing the enemy as a club, rather than shooting them. The weaponhas a built-in burst limiter to prevent them from shooting off their entire ammunition drum at once, something that would be conceived as fun to an Ogryn. Ogryns are extremely tough combatnats and can serve as a good blocking force, preventing the enemy from reaching the softer, inner core of an Imperial army's standard Guardsmen. Ogryns can be mounted in a transport, although they do suffer from a form of claustrophobia and are not at their best when being transported (however, it has been found that officers can get them in with the help of a friendly-faced trooper and a crate of rations. Unfortunately for the trooper he is stuck in there until they leave). Ogryns can resist incoming fire and move up the field to bash away at the enemy's stronger combat units. Ogryn come from high-gravity Imperial worlds, which led their ancestors to grow taller and much more muscular than most humans. Ratlings Ratlings are small mutant Abhumans who developed on low-gravity Imperial worlds and are unsuitable for use as close combat troops. The Ratlings instead act as perhaps the Imperial Guard's most skilled snipers, and many a regiment has been saved at the last moment only by the pinpoint accuracy of the tiny Abhumans.Ratlings are also great cooks, being able to make anything out of whatever they find (or pilfer). Ratlings are notorious crooks, organizing gambling rings or using their small size to steal whatever is laying around, whether it be a shiny bullet casing or the senior Commissar's peaked hat. Needless to say, Regimental commanders have noticed that rates of petty theft and drug-dealing invariably increase when a Ratlings squad is attached to the regiment. This tendency means the Ratlings make fine profits on the front-lines, where they smuggle in whatever the soldiers need or want - for a price. Imperial Guard Troop Types Guardsmen Found in every single Imperial Guard Regiment, the Guardsman is the ubiquitous representative soldier of the Imperial Guard, as he makes up the very backbone of the organisation's fighting force. Armed with low-power laser weaponry known as lasguns, a Guardsmen's lethality is minimal. Armoured with basic Flak armour fabricated from basic metallic alloys, they have little protection in comparison with the Adeptus Astartes and the other intelligent species' front-line warriors. Instead of cybernetic upgrades, daemonic Chaos powers or biological weapons, the Guardsmen face up to the universe's unimaginable horrors with nothing more than a las rifle in their hands and the fire in their bellies. Guardsmen are used differently by their regiment, depending on their commanding officer's preferences. Some regimental commanders choose to use the near-limitless number of Guardsmen like water on rocks - maximum casulties, but a slow and sure victory. Others prefer a sledgehammer style - an enemy will always fall under a volley of a thousand lasguns. Others just use the Guard like flesh shields - force the enemy through the human meat grinder until it works no more. However they are used, the Guard always maintains its faith in victory no matter the cost, in the name of the God-Emperor of Mankind. Infantry Platoon The standard and most basic tactical infantry deployment of the Imperial Guard, an infantry platoon comprises 1 command squad lead by a junior officer and their staff, 2-5 infantry squads and 0-5 heavy weapon squads, 0-2 special weapon squads, and 0-1 conscript platoons. Platoon Command Squad This squad consists of a junior officer and his personal staff of non-commissioned officers (NCOs). They may be chosen for their medical skills, their skill with special weapons or their potential to ultimately become an officer. These squads coordinate and plan their platoon's movement and actions. It is their duty to ensure that their most basic unit of the Guard fights effectively on the battlefield. Sadly, for every officer that performs valiantly there is another that panics and falters and is quickly punished by a neighbouring Commissar for wasting the time and lives of the Guard. Infantry Squads These are the main body of men and women fighting in the Guard. They do everything that is required in combat and do most of the dying until the enemy is defeated. A sergeant and 9 infantrymen with the option of 1 using a special weapon (a grenade launcher, a Flamer, a Plasma Gun, Melta Gun or a Sniper Rifle) and the option of one acting as the squad's vox officer (radio operator) and 2 others may act as a heavy weapons team within this group (armed with either a Lascannon, Autocannon or a Heavy-Bolter). Conscript Platoons These squads consist of normal Imperial citizens with little or no military training, new Guard recruits who have not yet entered training, children of the Regiment's troops or Guardsmen that have not completed their training. Sometimes, in military emergencies, the Imperium's need for manpower is so great that normal Imperial citizens will simply find themselves conscripted by their planetary government and handed over to the Imperial Guard as part of their world's Administratum tithe. They are given a lasgun and Flak armour, and sent into battle. They can comprise small units or can be brought together to form a formidable swarm of men. They consist of 20-50 troops in a single platoon. Heavy Weapon Teams These Imperial soldiers serve in dedicated heavy weapon teams in their platoons. They are equipped with mortars, Heavy Bolters, Autocannons or Lascannons to offer long-range infantry support or antitank support to regular Guardsmen. Special Weapon Teams These teams of specialist Imperial Guardsmen consist of snipers and spotters, combat engineers with Flamers or demolition experts offering a variety of special support. Some can act as anti-tank units with Melta or Plasma Guns or sniper teams of 3 snipers and 3 spotters with lasguns. The combat engineers are trained to attack bunkers and the demolitions experts can carry either grenade launchers or a special Melta demolition charge. Veterans These soldiers are those in Guardsmen squads and platoons who have survived combat when most of their squad mates did not. They have the skill and experience to survive. They are crack shots and can have several special weapons in their squads and have weapons not issued to regular Guardsmen. Many of their weapons are taken from their foes. It is rare for a Regiment to possess a large number of Veterans except for Regiments with elite soldiers like those from the world of Cadia or those who have had a run of unsusually good luck or unusually competent commanders. A Regiment that has been reduced to the point when there are just a few Veterans left are combined with a new Regiment in the hope that their skills will rub off onto the new men. Penal Legion Imperial Guard Penal Legions are formed by those individuals who have committed capital crimes against the Imperium of Man but have been given a chance to redeem themselves by the Adeptus Arbites with their inevitable deaths in battle as warriors of the Imperial Guard. The ranks of the Penal Legions are swelled with rapists, murderers, traitors, mutants, and psychopaths, contributing to their disreputable aura; nonetheless, nearly every century a particularly brave (or lucky) Penal Legion is awarded freedom for their years of service, and their are sins absolved before the Emperor. This is the only hope that the Legionnaires' cling to as they bloodily die by the dozen, leaving behind the most violent and hardened of their number. The commanding officer or Custodian of the Legion has control of the detonator that is linked to the explosive collars that every Legionnaires' must wear after they join the Legion, and he can use it to kill any Legionnaire he chooses, showering those nearby with sanguinous gore in an effort to retain order. Fast Attack Chimera APC Capable of transporting twelve Guardsmen, the Chimera is the standard Imperial armoured personnel carrier for nearly all Imperial Guard Regiments. It is amphibious and capable of supporting naval assaults from orbit. It is often the basis for other Guard vehicle variants, such as the Basilisk, the Hellhound, and the Griffin self-propelled mortar platform. They play a heavy role in highly-mechanized Imperial Guard armies, such as that of Armageddon's Steel Legion. Rough Rider Cavalry Squadron Mounted on a horse or other draught animal's back, these traditional cavalry units are fast and flexible, but cannot last for long in intense combat with advanced technological or armoured enemy forces. Compared to normal Guardsmen, Rogh Riders specialize in close combat, but they are weak compared to the close combat specialists of many other armies. They can be given a special "Hunting Lance" which gives them a one shot advantage in close combat. This makes them useful when deployed for hit and run tactics. Hellhound Based on the chassis of the Chimera, Hellhounds have large Promethium fuel tanks mounted on the rear of the vehicle. These tanks are used to fuel a large front-facing Flamer known as an "Inferno Cannon". The Inferno Cannon has the ability to spew streams of flaming fuel over large distances, making it the bane of infantry like Orks and Chaos Space Marines. The Inferno Cannon and its tanks are highly unstable, making the Hellhound a risky vehicle to operate. Because of this, most Hellhounds are crewed by maddened pyromaniacs. The Hellhound can form squadrons of 1-3 vehicles, and can be upgraded to the Devildog and the Banewolf variant tanks. Devildog The Devildog is a variant of the Hellhound tank armed instead with a Melta Cannon. The Melta Cannon makes a howling sound when it is fired. The Devildog offers crucial anti-tank support to Imperial Guard armies that would otherwise be lacking it. The Devildog can form a squadron of 1-3 vehicles mixed with the Hellhound and Banewolf variants of the tank. Banewolf The Banewolf tank is only used when the complete destruction of the opposition is warranted. It carries a Chem Cannon which fires a chemical shell infused with a chemical weapon that dissolves all organic material. Skin is destroyed and the victims blood boils as the horrific weapon takes its toll. Even Power Armour will not protect the enemy and so all infantry, apart from heavily armoured infantry units such as Chaos Space Marine Terminators, will run for their lives as their friends and allies scream behind them. The Banewolf can form a squadron of 1-3 vehicles mixed with the Hellhound and the Devildog tank variants. Scout Sentinel Squadron These small squadrons of mechanical combat walkers known as Sentinels can carry a variety of heavy weapons, depending on the pattern of the Sentinels, and bring high levels of power and maneuverability together in one place. They are lightly armoured however, and are susceptible to light arms fire. They are often employed as anti-infantry units and can be used for defending the flanks of other units or striking forward to take out light to medium armoured infantry or vehicles. They are also commonly used in hit-and-run attacks and many foes will find themselves attacked in the middle of their own territory by squadrons of these effective walkers. Sentinel squadrons will commonly attack refineries and factories, harassing the enemy garrison protecting them, if any. Armoured 'Sentinel Squadron These Sentinel Squadrons are more heavily armoured than Scout Sentinels and can carry weapons such as Plasma Cannons and Lascannons to destroy tanks. They are more deadly in combat because they are not open topped and have heavier armour. Unlike the Scout Sentinel, the normal Sentinel will be used for tank-hunting as well as anti-infantry combat duties. They are far deadlier, and by a consequence of design, far noisier. While Scout Sentinels produce little engine noise, the Armoured variant is one that will be heard coming from a long way off. Valkyrie The Valkyrie is an airborne transport and dropship used by the Imperial Guard that can carry troops into battle from long distances.The Valkyrie is used for drop missions and aerial insertions. Its missile pods and Hellstrike missiles are potent, and can be used as excellent anti-tank weapons. The Valkyrie is often used to air-drop the elite Storm Troopers into battle on special operations missions. If a Valkyrie is moving at maximum speed it can drop its occupants anywhere along its flight path. Vendetta The Vendetta is a modified version of the Valkyrie, replacing the usual Valkyrie armaments with three twin-linked lascannons. For this reason, the Vendetta gives up most of its anti-infantry capabilities and takes on the role of an anti-tank unit, allowing it to counter enemy armour while simultaneously transporting soldiers across the battlefield. Notwithstanding this difference, the Vendetta is otherwise identical to the Valkyrie variant of the dropship. Heavy Armoured Support Leman Russ Main Battle Tank The Leman Russ main battle tank is named after one of the Adeptus Astartes' Primarchs, Leman Russ of the Space Wolves, and is the primary tank used by the Imperial Guard. It has a large main battle cannon, which is a hugely powerful kinetic ordnance weapon that fires explosive shells, a hull-mounted lascannon and optional sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters, Heavy Flamers, Plasma Cannons,or Melta Cannons. With strong frontal armour, the Leman Russ is designed to initially bombard large enemy formations and then assault the weakened enemy defensive lines later, its weapons firing. However, the Leman Russ tank is particularly vulnerable to rear and flank attacks because of the thinner armour it possesses in those positions. The Leman Russ tank is the most commonly found armoured vehicle in the Imperial Guard, and is the base design for some of the other vehicles of the Guard, including the Vanquisher, Conqueror and many others. Leman Russ tanks can be upgraded or customised to enhance their combat effectiveness. Leman Russ Demolisher Based on the standard Leman Russ chassis, the Demolisher has a similar configuration. It boasts a Demolisher Cannon, designed for short-range kinetic bombardment, rather than the longer-ranged main battle cannon. The extreme power of this weapon makes it tear easily through even Terminator Armour. The simplest tactic is to get just within range of the enemy and then blast away with the Demolisher Cannon as much as possible, relying on the tank's thick frontal armour to keep the tank intact as it advances. The Demolisher is the only tank in the Imperial Guard that is directly attached to infantry formations, rather than being assigned from an armoured company, and have a reputation for never letting down their "little brothers." As such, Demolishers are often at the front of the battle with the infantrymen of the Guard. Leman Russ Exterminator TheExterminatorExterminator variant of the Leman Russ main battle tank is an excellent choice for taking on enemy infantry and light vehicles. its twin-linked Autocannons excel at knocking out light vehicles such as buggies and Land Speeders, and the sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters can decimate enemy troop formations. Against more heavily armoured troops and vehicles, the Exterminator flounders, as it lacks the stopping power of dedicated anti-tank weapons such as Lascannons or Krak Missiles. Leman Russ Vanquisher The Vanquisher is a new variant of the Leman Russ main battle tank that is now slowly becoming a rare sight on the battlefield. Its 1 shot:1 kill ratio makes it a great candidate for anti-tank jobs. The Vanquisher should be used for cracking Chaos Space Marine Land Raiders, along with other light or medium tanks. There is only one known enemy vehicle that can stand up to its power, the Necron Monolith, because of the special properties of its living metal necrodermis casing. The Vanquisher is usually fielded against tank-heavy armies that the standard Imperial Guard infantry platoon finds hard to deal with. The technology required to make this tank was lost when the MechanicusForge World Tigrus was overrun. Leman Russ Eradicator The Eradicator is a variant of the Leman Russ main battle tank that was first used during the urban conflict on the world of Khai-Zhan. The Eradicator cannon's blast is so powerful that any cover is useless against such a torrent. The Eradicator offers a solution to a simple but annoying problem: enemy forces hiding behind a wall. Even throwing Krak grenades and plasma bolts at such an enemy can fail, as they can use cover to negate the killing power of those weapons. The Eradicator is the solution for this problem because of the power of its cannon which can simply knock down most forms of cover. The Eradicator is the vehicle of choice for fighting cover-dependent enemy units who hide and harass the Imperial Guard's troops and tanks. Leman Russ Punisher The Leman Russ Punisher can pump more ammunition at the target than any other tank in the Imperial Guard with its powerful Autocannons.The crew is usually gung-ho and trigger happy. The Punisher has proven to be the Imperial Guard's most effective vehicle when assaulting Tyranid and Ork forces which rely on large volumes of poorly armoured troops. A Punisher tank can kill most known forms of Tyranid Genestealers due to their low armour value. Leman Russ Executioner The Executioner is an ancient and very powerful version of the Leman Russ main battle tank dating back to the time of the Great Crusade. Once it was produced in vast legions of vehicles, but as the Imperium's understanding of plasma technology degraded, so was the technology to make this variant of the tank. The Executioner is in essence a plasma tank. Its main gun is an Executioner Plasma Cannon that fires massive beams of pure plasma that can simply disintegrate a target or mass of targets on contact. Because of its power, the few remaining Executioner tanks are highly prized relics of those few Imperial Guard Regiments that possess them and they are only used on the battlefield when the risk of their destruction is outweighed by the need for their unmatched firepower. Hydra Flak Tank The Hydra Flak Tank is incredibly effective against opponents that rely upon poorly armoured but highly agile vehicles in combat like the Tau and the Eldar. The tank's auto-targeting system is what makes it so effective against agile enemy vehicles. This is a very effective weapon against Tau or Eldar skimmers, but it possesses little armour so will need some protection from enemy infantry. There is also a version where the main gun is mounted on a Chimera chassis. Artillery Support Basilisk "''Infantry win firefights, tanks win battles, artillery wins wars" - old saying amongst Imperial Guard artillery officers. One of the longest range weapons in the galaxy, the Basilisk self-propelled artillery unit is a common sight on the battlefields of the Imperium. Equipped with the powerful Earthshaker Cannon, the Basilisk is designed to sit far from the frontlines, ceaselessly bombarding the enemy's troops with massive kinetic shells of explosive power. The Basilisk uses the standard Chimera APC chassis but has had all of the troop transport room and the lasguns removed, leaving it with a single hull weapon and the Earthshaker Cannon itself. It can be upgraded to be allowed to fire from behind cover, blindly destroying targets before the other Imperial Guard forces arrive, while keeping itself safe from enemy fire. The explosive ordnance used by the Basilisk is able to break through most known enemies' defences and is greatly feared among enemy forces, and rightly so. The Basilisk is susceptible to enemy fire if caught in the open, however, and will not last long against any heavy weapons or heavyily armoured vehicles like tanks. Medusa The Medusa is a siege cannon designed to crack open enemy bunkers or blast a breach into an enemy fortress. It is a very high-powered for of explosive artillery and excellent for piercing armour, but the cannon possesses only a very short range. Medusa are usually fielded with heavy infantry support to protect its vulnerabilities to infantry and armour assaults. Colossus The Colossus is an ancient piece of siege equipment that is rarely seen except when thier enormous siege cannons are required to flatten enemy positions and fortifications. While not as powerful as some of the other Imperial artillery units, the Colossus is used when a wall or fortess needs to be penetrated. The Colossus is a mssive mortar that fires high explosive shells that produce an enormous shock wave when they detonate. Griffon The Griffon is a self-propelled heavy mortar. Based on a Chimera chassis, this cheap artillery option is very effective. Due to its light ammunition it can be fired with higher accuracy than the other Imperial artillery batteries. Manticore Missile System and Manticore Missile Tank The Manticore is one of the most feared units in the Imperial Guard. It is an anti-personnel weapon which is highly effective against Orks and some Tyranid species. The machine spirit (i.e. technological reliability) of the Manticore is so unpredictable that its rockets may not fire, even when given the proper blessing, or sometimes all four rockets will launch at once unexpectedly. The Manticore has only 4 shots and reloading is a time-consuming process. This unpredicatbility makes the Manticore a danger to all those around it, including friendly units. Once during a siege of a major fortress the defenders surrendered at just the sight of a single Manticore. Moments later the fortress was destroyed by the rockets of the Manticore all going off at the same time. Clearly this vehicle is dangerous to everyone except the crew inside it. The Manticore Missle Tanks has its main rocket weapons mounted on a Chimera chassis so that it can be mobile. Death Strike The Death Strike is a massive missile launcher. It has a massive missile that boasts the largest blast size of any weapon comonly used by the Imperial Guard. Used only in situations where total destruction of an enemy and the surrounding environment is warranted, a Death Strike launcher can carry multiple warheads including every type of missile ordanance from thermonuclear Titan-killing warheads to warheads outfitted with bio-weapons. Its most destructive warhead is the Vortex warhead that can only be used if approved by Segmentum Command. Traditionally, it carries a large plasma-enhanced thermonuclear charge that can incinerate entire armies in a single blast, along with most of the surrounding environment. Notable Imperial Guard Forces Cadian Shock Troops The Regiments of the Cadian Shock Troopers of the Imperial Guard are famous throughout the galaxy for constantly proving themselves in the arena of battle. Their leader is the Lord Castellan, the position currently held by Ursarkar E. Creed, hero of the Battle for Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade. The model for Cadians are the standard model for all Imperial Guard troopers, consequently making them the Imperial Guard's equivalent of the Ultramarines, who serve as the model for all standard Space Marine Chapters. Cadia has always been an Imperial fortress world, charged with guarding the great Warp rift of the Eye of Terror. The population of Cadia are all destined for military life; the birth rate and Imperial Guard or Planetary Defence Forces recruitment rate of the world are practically synonymous. Cadian Regiments are highly disciplined, make excellent shots and use elite shock troops to lead their attacks. Such is their reputation of the shock troops that many other regiments mimic their appearance and equipment, although their doctrines may differ. The Cadians fighting in the 13th Black Crusade were depicted as a generic force representing any science fiction military based on modern Russian, British, German, American, and various other high-technology soldiers. In the Second and Third Editions of Warhammer 40,000, the Cadian Shock Troopers were heavily styled on the Mobile Infantry from the 1997 Starship Troopers film as well as the Colonial Marines from the 1986 movie Aliens. History of Cadia Cadia has a special and honoured place in the history of Mankind. Cadia stands upon the very edge of the Eye of Terror within a narrow corridor of stable space called the Cadian Gate. This forms the one and only predictable passage between the Chaos infested daemon worlds of the Eye of Terror and Terra. No battle fleet of any size can rely upon other unstable passages and must pass through the Cadian Gate. Cadia is therefore one of the most strategically important planets of the galaxy. On several occasions the forces of Chaos have moved against Cadia and raging battles have been fought in the depths of space. Such huge battles are rare, but the constant intrusion of Chaos raiding craft is commonplace. Chaos Space Marines make frequent forays onto the surface of Cadia and must be hunted down. The bulk of the Cadian army is made up of the Shocktroops, with the remainder made up of the Whiteshields (conscript soldiers recruited at the age of 14 and trained to take place in Shocktroop regiments) and the Elite Kaskrin soldiers. Notable regiments: *7th Cadian: "The Lucky Sevens" *8th Cadian: "The Lord Castellan's Own", led personally by Ursarkar E. Creed during the Thirteenth Black Crusade *39th Cadian: "Xenobane" *89th Armoured Cadian: In the Apocalypse rulebook due to their famous baneblade "Steel Lord" *110th Cadian: "Shadow Corps" *122nd Cadian: Distinguished themselves in the Vogen Campaign, and featured in Codex: Cityfight (Chambers, 2001) *412th Cadian: Featured in the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion Winter Assault *417th Cadian: "Hellbringers" Catachan Jungle Fighters Catachan is an Imperial death world almost completely covered in dense jungle where it seems the entire ecosystem is hostile to human life. Catachan's only export is its people, who through natural selection are bred tough and strong from living in such a dangerous world. Catachan Jungle Fighters are among some of the deadliest experts of jungle warfare in the entire galaxy and their reputation precedes them. They make use of many close combat weapons, including the "Catachan Fang", a knife measuring up to 20 inches of gleaming steel, which is the most common weapon. It is also used for settling disputes between Catachans. Another knife is the Night Reaper, which is smaller and blackened, effective for use in night infiltration and assassinations. They are sometimes poisoned to improve their kill strength, the poisons coming directly from Catachan's deadly flora and fauna. The Devil's Claw, named after the Catachan Devil, is the longest Catachan weapon, up to four feet long. It is closer to a sword than a knife and has achieved status among the Orks who call it "Da Cutta" with respect. The blade is hollow and half filled with mercury in order to improve swing strength and control, and the design of this weapon has been copied by Catachan regimental officers for use as a power weapon. They also make extensive use of traps, mines and other unpleasant surprises. They use traps, spring mines, shredder mines and plasma charges, each specializing in killing certain types of troops. The most skilled Catachan Jungle Fighters are capable of launching deadly ambushes, remaining unseen in the foliage and appearing only when they want to attack. Due to their tactics and the terrain which they specialize in, the Catachan Jungle Fighters do not use any vehicles save for the Sentinel walker which is modified for jungle warfare. They also use fewer heavy weapon teams than a standard army, and those that they do have favor mortars and heavy bolters. This leaves them undergunned compared to other Imperial Guard Regiments, but their weaponry is optimal for their preferred style of combat. Catachan Jungle Fighters, as a whole, bear similarities to the Rambo movie series of the 1980's, complete with red headbands, and to a lesser extent, Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movies Commando and'' Predator''. Catachan Jungle Fighters closely resemble members of the United States Army and Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, which involved a great deal of jungle combat in Southeast Asia. Notable Catachan Regiments *'''The Catachan XXIV "Waiting Death" - Use of extensive traps, using "baiter" squads to lure the enemy onto the traps. *'The Catachan XVIII "Swamprats"' - Attacked a Tyranid horde, masked themselves in Tyranid ichor and successfully wiped out the Tyranids. They then had to spend two years on a decontamination ship. *'The Catachan XVII "Screaming Devils"' - Led by Captain Thorn, including famous sniper, Sniper Dell, who won the Silver Bullet seven years in a row. *'The Catachan XXII Airborne Assault Group' - Led by Colonel Paseski, combined with the 1139th Orbital Attack Group, known for their extensive use of Valkyries. There is a Catachan special character named Sly Marbo, who appeared in the 3rd Edition of Warhammer 40,000 in the Catacahan "sub-codex". He also appears in the short story Death World by Steve Lyons as part of the Imperial Guard Omnibus: Volume One collection. He is part of the Catachan XIV Regiment and is considered the best camouflage expert and sniper in the entire regiment. He has also been referred to as the "one man army" by his commanding officers and fellow Catachans. He often works completely alone in the field, shadowing his regiment's squads as they travel through dense jungles, acting as their sniper support. His character is heavily inspired by the famous character of John Rambo as portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in the 1980's films (Marbo is an anagram of Rambo). Little is known of Marbo's past, but it is hinted that he and his nine brothers joined a Catachan regiment that was wiped out - only Marbo survived, returning to his post with a severed enemy commander's head with a bullet hole between the eyes. Marbo apparently stares vacantly into space in the time between assignments, and few have heard him speak; both attributes unsettle commanders who encounter him, but none can argue with the results of his solo missions or his combat effectiveness. Ice Warriors of Valhalla Valhalla was originally a verdant paradise world. No records survive of its colonization, but legends recall a world ripe for conquest. Unfortunately, Valhalla was destined for catastrophe. A rogue comet entered into a collision course with Valhalla. The planet's defense lasers fired at the comet, but only succeeded in breaking it up. Later, it was found that the comet was made of almost pure iron, explaining why the lasers were so ineffective. The comet mostly impacted in the vast ocean, but a mile-wide fragment impacted the northern continent, creating vast plumes of dust which proceeded to cover the planet in a blanket of dirt. To make matters worse, the planet's orbit was changed, moving it farther away from its sun. This change in the amount of warmth and light altered Valhalla's ecosystem permanently, changing the planet to an icy wasteland. The people struggled to make a living, fearing famine due to a lack of viable farmland. Unfortunately, this was not the end of Valhalla's troubles. A damaged Ork warfleet descended on the planet and proceeded to fight the Valhallans for the precious food they had stored. The Valhallans held out bravely for a long time in their vast hive cities beneath the ice but were pushed right back to the food vats. Eventually they destroyed the orks by using ice boring machines to strategically strike at the heart of the mob, burning and melting most of the orks and scattering the rest. Regiments of Valhallans have been assigned to planets infested with Orks due to their intimate knowledge of Ork tactics and their dogged determination in the face of defeat, where other armies might run. Valhalla is an extremely cold, ice covered planet similar to the ice planet Hoth from Star Wars. Valhallan Ice Warriors resemble the Soviet army during World War II. Famously, the Comissar Ciaphas Cain served with the Valhallan 597th. Praetorians Praetoria is a heavily populated Hive World that lies in a system close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka. The overpopulated Hive-Cities of Praetoria are renowned for their rigid class divide and severe squalor and degradation in the lower classes, and produce some of the toughest gangsters on any of the hive worlds in the Imperium. Imperial Guard regiments raised on Praetoria are renowned for their iron discipline, by-the-book drilling and unshakeable bravery, even in the face of the most overwhelming odds. Originally the Mordians used Praetorian bodies with different sculpted heads and a few have changed poses. The Praetorians were introduced following the Games Workshop Games Day display "Massacre at Big Toof River", where a substantial Imperial Guard force was annihilated by an enormous Ork horde in a similar style to the British defeat at the Battle of Isandhlwana by the Zulus in 1879. Despite this crippling loss, the Praetorians fought back at the "Last Stand at Glazer's Creek", where they, supported by local militia and allied Ratlings, fought off a rampaging Ork horde in a battle similar to the British-Zulu conflict at the Battle of Rourke's Drift. It is fitting, then, that the Praetorians are based on British colonial soldiers typical of those found in Africa during the 19th Century. This is further reflected by the fact that their most common enemies are the Ork tribes - who function as a grotesque parody of the Zulu warriors. Tallarn Desert Raiders The Tallarn Desert Raiders are exceptional at guerrilla-style warfare, having adapted to the harsh conditions of their home planet. They are also known for their weaponry accuracy, as well as having highly capable Sentinel and Tank squads. Tallarn Desert Raiders have a slightly Arab-like appearance, but influences have also been taken from other sources, such as the African campaigns of WW2. Mordian Iron Guard Mordians normally wear bright dress uniforms, even into combat, and often present a look of amateurism, perhaps to catch their enemies off-guard. Friends and allies alike learn from this mistake quickly, as the Iron Guard's training is second to none. Due to the condition of their planet, the troops raised for the Imperial Guard on Mordia tend to be a dour, no-nonsense lot. Mordians believe in perfect precision and constant drill to overcome their foes, and they will rarely be seen routed, rather they make fighting retreats to a better and more defensible position. The Mordian Iron Guard bear a slight resemblance to the Prussian Army under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck and if painted right could also look like the Imperial Japanese Army in the early 20th Century. Armageddon Steel Legion "Heroes of Armageddon! You have withstood the evil savagery of the Orks, and they have nothing left for you to fear. So raise high the black banners of vengeance - now is our time!" - Commissar Yarrick Armageddon is a hive world, an Imperial planet covered in vast polluted industrial wastelands broken up by hive cities, huge human arcologies stretching miles into the sky. True to its name, Armageddon has been the site of three apocalyptic battles between the Imperium and its enemies, most recently a pair of invasions by the Ork Warboss Ghazghkull Thraka. As a result, the armies of Armageddon are skilled in fighting against Orks. The Steel Legion soldiers are siege experts and masters of attrition, driving their wounded enemies back across the ash wasteslands of the planet after they have suffered severe casualties. Armageddon produces many armored fighting vehicles for the Imperium, such as Chimera APCs. As such, the Armageddon Steel Legions are primarily mechanised infantry, employing Chimera armoured personnel carriers, Hellhounds and several variants of the Leman Russ main battle tank. Commissar Yarrick is the best known Steel Legion character, and he is greatly feared by the Orks for having ripped off Ghazghkull Thraka's Power Klaw with his bare hands - hence the fact that Yarrick is the only human Ghazghkull respects. The Armageddon Steel Legion regiments resemble the German Fallschirmjäger (paratroops) during World War II. Death Korps of Krieg The Planet Krieg was once the site of a rebellion against the Imperium. In retaliation, the people of Krieg subjected their world to 500 years of atomic cleansing to root out the rebellious factions. The Death Korps are fearless warriors, never flinching even in the face of unavoidable death, which they see as atonement for the rebellion. They see their deaths fighting in war as penance for the heresy of their ancestors. They are a dedicated trench and siege warfare force and perform best in wars of attrition. Appearance-wise, the Death Korps are similar to the Steel Legion, but have darker colors, and their masks usually have a skull motif. Of all the regiments of the Guard, they are the most gloomy and dark, both in appearance and in spirit. They bear a strong resemblance to the Imperial German Army in World War I, in tactics (trench warfare) as well as appearance. Tanith First-and-Only (Gaunt's Ghosts) The world of Tanith came under attack by Chaos forces while it was mustering soldiers for the Sabbat Crusade. Only about 3,000 men were rescued from the planet by Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt before it was destroyed by the powers of Chaos. Because they were left without a homeworld, the members of the Tanith 1st and Only came to call themselves "Gaunt's Ghosts" (As later named by "Mad" Hlaine Larkin, sniper of the Tanith First-and-Only). During the course of their deployment, after a mission in Verunhive, they gain new troops from the ruined hive. A second commissar, Commissar Hark joined the unit. They are excellent light infantry and scouts, and as such are known to dress in cloaks made out of cameoline for camouflage. The stories of the Tanith 1st and Only can be found in the Gaunt's Ghosts series, written by Dan Abnett. Harakoni Warhawks Harakon is a low-gravity planet with tall hives. The Harakoni use grav-gliders to hunt vapourwyrms in the valleys below their hives. This makes them fearless of altitudes and great at judging air currents. Their abilities have found a home in the imperial guard where they act as drop troops. Many a General or warmaster owes their decorations to the bravery and experience of the warriors of Harakon. Elysian Drop Troopers The Drop regiments of Elysia are known for the rapid deployment capabilities using Airborne Troop Carriers called Valkyries, and either rappel down ropes or use grav-chutes at high altitudes. These troops have deep strike capability, and can use mortars, rocket launchers, and heavy bolters like any other IG regiment. Unfortunately, They must sacrifice the heavy vehicle support that most other IG regiments field. The only ground vehicles to date that they can utilize are the modified Drop Sentinel and the Tauros Venator. The Elysian Drop Troopers were among the forces that fought in the 3rd Armageddon War. Forge World recently released a line of resin models for the Elysians for the Taros Campaign, a conflict between the Imperium and the 'Tau. Vostroyan Firstborn Vostroya is a world in the Halo-zone beyond the eye of terror, which swore allegiance to Mars during the Age of Strife. It is now ruled by a committee of Techtriarchs, A mix of Mechanicus Magos and more traditional Imperial planetary government. During the Horus Heresy, Vostroya refused to provide regiments to the Emperor, preferring instead to reserve the population in the manufactorium blanketing the world. After the Heresy came to an end the Vostroyans agreed to supply every first born son to service with the Imperial guard. Despite the black mark on their people's history, the Vostroyans now consider it an honour to fight for the Emperor, and view other more reluctant regiments with disgust. The Vostroyans were introduced in the 2006 campaign "Fall of Medusa IV". The Vostroyan carapace armour is mildly based on the armour worn by Cossacks of Eastern Europe, and the Vostroyan culture itself is inspired by 19th century Russia. Kauravan 252nd Conservator Regiment Featured in the game Dawn of War: Soulstorm they are the remainng imperial guard units in the system, having lost the others defending Kaurava IV against the legions of Chaos Space Marines. They led by Govenor-General Vance Stubbs. Dawn of War II suggests that the Imperial Guard defeated the other powers and established a stonger rule on the system. 'Other Imperial Guard Regiments The Imperial Guard, perhaps more than any other Warhammer 40,000 army, allows painters and modellers a great deal of scope for creating a personalised force. With regiments of Imperial Guard present on almost every world in the Imperium many players like to invent their own regiment, writing their own background and creating a unique looking force. The Citadel plastic kits for Cadians and Catachans are fully compatible allowing for very easy conversions Some players combine the Citadel Minitures plastic kits with 28mm minitures produced by other companies, such as World War II historical models, to make their Imperial Guard more characterful (although doing this often means they cannot enter offcial GW tournaments or use the models at in-store games). Notable Characters *Lord Commander Solar Macharius *Commissar Yarrick *Nork Deddog *Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt (Later Commissar Gaunt) *Commissar Hark *Colonel Schaeffer (and his Last Chancers) *Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed * Al'rahem of the Tallarn * Chenkov of the Valhallans * "Iron Hand" Straken of the Catachans * Commissar Ciaphas Cain * "Stonetooth" Harker of the Catachans * Tank Ace Major Pious Korren of the Steel Legion * Sergeant Bastonne * Knight Commander Pask PC Games *''Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War'' - The Imperial Guard made a guest appearance in the Single Player campaign, exactly the same with Dawn of War 2 and Chaos Rising, but this time Kaskrin instead of ordinary Guardsmen, and were expanded into a playable army in the expansions Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, and Soulstorm. *The Imperial Guard also made an appearance as antagonists in the game Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior. *The Imperial Guard make a brief playable scene in a secondary mission where Meridian must be defended from a House Vandis attack. The Guard appear weak but can throw grenades or lay traps. Against the rules of the codex they appear to have a squad of close-combatants and Kaskrin that have to set up. The colour of their lasfire is orange, different to the original dawn of war and fire warrior External links *Games Workshop website *Wargame Tactics for Imperial Guard - A site for Imperial Guard Tactics. Sources * Codex: Imperial Guard 3rd, 4th and 5th Editions - created by Gamesworkshop * Codex: Catachans - created by Gamesworkshop * Expansion: Apocalypse - created by Gamesworkshop Category:I Category:Imperium * Category:Imperial Guard Equipment Category:Imperial Guard Heavy Weapons and Equipment Category:Imperial Guard Troops